From the moment the Fusion replaced the Ford Taurus last year, it's new body shape caused much excitement at NASCAR and for the car- buying public. The last time Ford introduced a new model for racing and the public was the '68 Ford Torino.

The Ford Fusion comes from a proud lineage of Ford's 106 years of racing dedication. The first Ford victory was by the "Sweepstakes", which was raced by Henry Ford himself in 1901. Other stars have included the number 17 DeWalt Ford Fusion driven by Matt Kenseth; the 1965 Mark IV GT40 that competed in the Le Mans 24-hour race and the 1955 "Purple Hog" (Ford's first factory NASCAR stock car).